


Lee's plan

by Thetalkingcherry



Category: Naruto
Genre: Father Figures, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:06:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29683710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thetalkingcherry/pseuds/Thetalkingcherry
Summary: Gai-Sensei was to Rock Lee something of a father, so, it was normal (he told himself) to be weary of who his sensei hung around with.Lee was, of course, specifically talking about the silver haired Jonin sensei that would get into Gai-Sensei’s home via the window, would sit on his furniture and seemed to have trouble interacting with people.What was his deal with Gai-Sensei? That was it! he was going to have a few words with him, specialized Jonin, elite assassin, and terrifying shinobi or not, he was going to hear Lee…but first, he needed to find his true intentions, after all, he was not going to confront an elite nin like that just because, Lee was not stupid.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Maito Gai | Might Guy
Comments: 6
Kudos: 52





	1. That is my dad, mister.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write something short and fluffy from Lee's point of view! I think he is an interesting and entertaining character and he would obviously make sure that Kakashi's intentions with his sensei are good because "that is my dad there, mister!"

Gai-Sensei was to Rock Lee something of a father, scratch that, he definitively thought of him as his father, and Gai-Sensei wasn’t shy in admitting the three of them were like his kids. So, it was normal, he told himself, to be weary of who their sensei hung around with. That specific thought was directed at the silver haired ninja, currently perched on the window of Gai-sensei’s home like it was his personal resting place. Just there, reading one of his weird books, hair sticking in all directions as the warm wind of the summer hit it. He sat on the wooden piece that was next to the window, shoes and all, barely missing some of the books Gai sensei kept there along with some photographs and colorful knickknacks.

All the time he was there he did not say a word, neither did he acknowledge their presence and Gai-Sensei seemed to be fine with that, not telling him to get off or pulling him inside completely.

Lee didn’t know much of Hatake Kakashi, well, he did not know much of his personal life, in fact he was 99% sure he didn’t have something of the sort, he only ever saw him around Gai-Sensei and team 7. Who knew where he disappeared when he was not with them, though, of course, the answer was most likely a mission.

See, Lee was not as clueless as Neji would often say, he knew that Hatake Kakashi had somewhat of a terrifying reputation, after all, a Hidden Ninja village was not immune to stories and gossip and what not, hell, he was sure Ino herself was the lead publisher and editor of Konoha’s most popular gossip magazine. That is why he was more than confused when on the first weeks after being a team, Kakashi had appeared out of nowhere, after training, and had without warning, launched a stone wall at a seemingly distracted Gai-sensei, who had only laughed out loud after breaking the stone into tiny little pieces yelling “Nice try, Rival! But I won’t fall for that one”

Neji, Tenten and Lee, of course, had jumped into a battle stance, the three of them standing still after Kakashi jumped from some tree and landed right in front of them, with his hands inside his pockets, and only a visible eye.

Now, Lee’s training was not only based on physical exercise, he also liked to learn as much as he could from other shinobi, since he could not use ninjutsu he liked to think about ways to defeat others by perfecting his taijutsu, always paying close attention to Gai-sensei’s teachings. Knowing what others could do had always given him a wider vision of how he could defeat them. So, facing Hatake Kakashi, the copy ninja himself, who had just attacked their sensei with a _rock_ , clearly with the intent of hurting him, was not something he expected to do that day.

Lee had looked at him confused, next to him Neji had even activated the byakugan and Tenten had quickly grabbed two kunai from her pouch, left hand dancing over one of her weapons scroll. Had Kakashi gone rogue? Why was he attacking a fellow ni—

“I might just be testing something, you know.” Kakashi said without even acknowledging the presence of the three genin Infront of him and speaking with a somewhat bored voice, shrugging as if he hadn’t just launched _A ROCK_ at Gai-sensei, like… _how dare he?_ Sure, Gai sensei was also a famously strong and dangerous shinobi who could handle...whatever this was...But no one tried to hurt his fathe—sensei without having to face Lee first!

“Rival!” Gai had all but yelled, walking towards them. Lee felt uneasy, he didn’t understand, were they supposed to attack? Was this some sort of test or training exercise? What--? “These are my three little students!” Their sensei had beamed and Kakashi had only inclined his head to the side, in a way that reminded Lee of a curious dog before turning around, throwing a hand up in a lazy goodby and saying “There’s still four hours left”

Well…Lee definitively did not understand what was going on but Gai-Sensei had been smiling, so he supposed it was not that bad.

More than a year had passed since then and Kakashi’s presence was not something unusual, of course there would be weeks where Lee wouldn’t see the Jonin at all, and then suddenly there he would be, walking next to Gai-sensei or, as he was now, just sitting there on the window.

Kakashi was teaching Team 7 now, Lee had seen them train (partly because he wanted to ask Sakura out on a date but then he would fail to do so, so he would run around the training grounds 500 times) and he would just see him there, either perched on a tree, reading that book or just looking at nothing while the three genin tried their best to manage with the exercises their sensei had assigned them, which often consisted on completing a D rank mission or attacking him. Still, it didn’t seem like he did much, and more often than not Lee wondered if that really was the feared “Sharingan no Kakashi”, the bingo book talked about.

They were a couple of days away from the Chunin exams and TenTen and Lee were having curry at his sensei’s home, Neji had gone off to who knows where after their training, his usual frown and angry face on, but that wasn’t something new, besides, Lee had heard him asking Gai how to get his movements to be faster and unpredictable to which Gai-Sensei had given him some tips regarding Neji’s training routine and how he should try and modify the Hyuuga fighting style to be more “his”, Neji had nodded and thanked him before leaving.

So, it was the three of them spending a nice afternoon, TenTen was already on her second plate when out of nowhere, Kakashi had arrived. Gai had been talking cheerfully but went completely silent when Kakashi appeared. The younger sensei had not been wearing his usual Jonin long sleeved shirt and green vest, instead he was wearing a short dark blue Yukata, tied with a loose red Obi and a dark shirt underneath, the same color as his mask, his pants were his usual tho and instead of his usual black or blue fighting sandals he was wearing a more traditional wooden pair. 

After looking at him for a moment, Gai sensei had continued talking as if nothing had happened and as if the other Jonin was not even there, but it was no lie that the atmosphere had suddenly become unconfortable, after all neither Lee nor TenTen knew exactly where they stood with Kakashi-Sensei, the man had never even directed a word to them, except for a nod or a movement of his head and most of the times, he seemed annoyed or half sleep. It was then that Lee started to wonder if Gai sensei even liked the other Jonin, after all, Lee hadn’t met anyone that could be more of an opposite to Gai than Kakashi sensei. What if Kakashi was just annoying their sensei? What if he was taking advantage of Gai-Sensei’s youthful and kind soul to bother him? After all, what exactly did he want with Gai?

Then, of course, Lee remembered how Gai had more than once (if not every time they met or every time he talked about him) called Kakashi his Rival and he had seen them have his unusual challenges, nevertheless, most of the time Kakashi looked annoyed at Gai, and how dare he? Did he not know just how fortunate he was to have Gai always around? That was it, he was going to have a few words with him, specialized Jonin, elite assassin, and terrifying shinobi or not, he was going to hear Lee…but first, he needed to find his true intentions, after all he was not going to confront an elite nin like that just because, Lee was not stupid.

He thought about his plan as he walked home, not before going to the Yamanaka Flowershop and getting some flowers for his own small apartment. There he found an old man carrying a bucket with flowers to the Konoha graveyard, Lee helped him of course, the man telling him everything about his beautiful long gone wife, who had been a kunoichi and had fought on the Third Shinobi War.

As he was leaving he noticed that the secluded lonely grave, that consisted of a couple of rocks forming a circle with an _Itatoba_ in the middle, way too small and too asymmetric to have been made the same way the usual tombstones were (In fact, if Lee had to guess he would say it was handmade, it had a name traced on the back, the lines too hard to read after being eroded by time and rain, the kanji for what looked like the word “Produce” or “Spawn” faintly readable), had white lilies and carnations, the flowers resting next to the bigger stone, all of them wrapped around a red ribbon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
> Sakumotsu or Sakumo means “produce” although the Kanji is very similar to “spawn” or “fruit”.
> 
> My hc is that Kakashi does visit his father’s tombstone, he hated him when he left him, but that hatred was mostly directed towards teamwork, after all, most likely he had to see his father’s mental state decay without being able to do anything but try and lift him up but ultimately, he had been just a child and the world had been too cruel and it had not had the slightest pity when blaming him, literally destroying him.
> 
> After what happens with Obito and then Rin, Kakashi lets that hatred go and starts visiting Sakumo’s grave, and every year on his birthday he would bring him flowers and tell him everything he had missed, which is why when he meets him in the afterlife, Kakashi has no problem with telling him his story, glad to be speaking to him rather than to a rock. 
> 
> By the way, it was Kakashi who made the Itatoba (gravestone) and who carved his father’s name on the back like its traditionally done. Because Sakumo was considered a traitor and deserter, he was not given a proper burial, Kakashi had to bury him with most likely the help of Dai and Gai.


	2. They are rivals, only rivals.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just rivals being rivals and doing rivals things.

Lee ran towards training ground number 24, his favorite place to train, since it was full of sand and it made his training routine even more challenging than usual. He hoped it was empty, although given the day it was most likely. They didn’t have training that day and he was ready to try and challenge his own endurance when walking in sand, after all, who said they wouldn’t be sent to a mission in Suna, where their resilience would be tested to the limits!

  
He stopped before reaching it, though, a very familiar laughter distracting him and he followed the sound before reaching the lake that went through Training ground 13 through 20, he hid behind some bushes, almost tripping on a wide root, from there he saw it, a familiar stylish and aerodynamic, perfect for training and attacking, youthful green jumpsuit.

Gai sensei was standing in the lake, not over the moving water but with his legs halfway in, the jumpsuit pulled all the way to his knees, his sandals on the edge of the river next to another blue pair.

Suddenly a very wet Kakashi arose from the river, sitting up and exhaling through his mask and coughing afterwards. 

  
Gai watched the other man, offering him a hand to get him out of the water, but Kakashi ignored it, still coughing. “You okay there, Rival?”

Kakashi only lifted his hands in reply, both of them holding what looked like small fishes trying to get free of his gloved grip. “I win! and even got us breakfast” The younger Jonin announced happily after he stopped coughing, his only visible eye red and half closed.

  
Gai-Sensei laughed again, shaking his head. “Yeah, I do not think I will get full by eating just that” He pointed at the fish and Kakashi regarded his hunt before setting them in the water, the little animals swimming as fast as they could away from the two men.

  
“They definitively looked bigger with the lack of oxygen” He got up and out the water and promptly tumbled over the green grass. “I’m sure Ningame would have appreciated them, though”

  
Gai-Sensei also followed him to the edge of the river, sitting down with his feet still inside the water. “That he would!”

  
Kakashi rolled over, closing his one visible eye as the sun hit him. “I challenge you to a patience competition” He told Gai Sensei who only got up, putting on his sandals.

  
“Oh no! No patience competition, its early and the sun is already up in the skies! We must make the most of this beautiful day where youth sears through our bodies and we can do the impossible!” He gave Kakashi that amazing thumb up and smile and Lee was nodding with him already, thinking about the vigorous workout he would have in the sandy floor of Training ground 24, energy up to the maximum. Kakashi-sensei didn’t even move.

“Mah, if it’s not possible them you can’t technically do it”

Gai ignored the comment. “Come on!” And then Gai-Sensei lifted, _actually lifted_ , Kakashi before putting him over his shoulder, like he was nothing more than a wet towel and, after taking the other ninja’s sandals, he started walking towards the forest that made training Ground 14, Kakashi squirming and trying to get Gai to let him down on the floor, but it didn’t really seem like he was actually trying, after a while they disappeared between the tall trees.

Lee thought about following them, but he really needed to get on with his training, besides, Gai-sensei’s words had encouraged him to do an even more difficult training, YES! TODAY WAS THE DAY!

  
He ran all the way to the deserted Training ground 24 and started, he was still thinking about what to do with the new information he just got about Kakashi and Gai-Sensei’s relationship. His teacher didn’t look annoyed at all and if anything he had actually dragged Kakashi to train somewhere with him. Hmm maybe he needed to observe them more time. It had been nice though, he had got to hear Gai-Sensei’s incredibly inspirational speech and the best part was that they had not even noticed!

It would be years before he knew they had, in fact, noticed.


	3. Rivals don't make those promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angst and probably not 100% accurate with canon but...here we are!

Lady Tsunade had been direct and to the point. The surgery could either heal him or kill him, it was a 50/50 chance, a toss of a coin, nothing in between. Lee had accepted the risk and his teacher’s reassurance had been enough for his hands to stop trembling in fear and rather clench in determination. He had not taken in account that Gai-Sensei’s promise would cause a discussion that loud.

“So, what are you going to do?” He hears the question and Lee stops in front of the wodden door of Maito Gai’s appartment. Lee had escaped from the hospital for just a moment to thank his sensei for everything he has done for him, even buying curry for him on the way. But now he can’t bring himself to knock. He knows that voice and he probably should wait until Kakashi-Sensei has finished talking with Gai-Sensei, otherwise it would be rude.

“I—”

Kakashi interrupts him and continues and now Lee is trully happy he didn’t knock because what he says next makes his blood go cold. “Are you going to throw yourself off a cliff? Hang yourself? A knife to the abdomen?” His voice trembles slightly at the last question and it doesn’t even sound like Kakashi’s voice for a second there. The place is completely silent before he continues, voice going back to its usual uninterested tone.

“Might as well tell me now, at least this time I will know what to expect”

There’s some shuffling and some steps that Lee has come to recognize as Gai-sensei's, because as distracted and seemingly lazy as Kakashi-sensei walks, Lee knows his steps never produce a sound.

“Rival—”

“What?” The question is thrown like a kunai, daring, not really waiting for an answer.

There is silence and even Lee is sure he has stopped breathing before Gai softly says, “If I have to…Neji and Tenten, will you..”

But Kakashi doesn’t seem to want to hear it because he interrupts him, voice getting louder. “No, no you can’t. I am not making any more promises to dead people again, you won’t do that to me too”

“I can’t leave them alone”

“No, no you can’t” Kakashi repeats like it’s obvious, like he wants Gai to see his point, like the answer is there as bright as day.

More silence and then, “What of me?”. Its silent, so silent now that Lee has to put his ear closer to the door to hear, trying to conceal himself as much as he can with his slightly broken body. “Can you leave _me_?”

“Kakashi…”

The silence lasted more this time, only the soft noise of the running water and electricity in the building vibrating through the walls. When Kakashi speaks again his voice is soft, drenched with acceptance. “That was unfair, wasn’t it? I shouldn’t have…” A step “I almost left you so many times in the past and…”

Silence.

“Listen Gai, if you decide to die like this, it’s fine. I know it is impossible to change a person’s decision when it comes to death. But please, let me know when you do it. Please let me be there and be the one to bury you and mourn you, because I will”

There was the sound of the window opening, the lock snapping and the glass sliding and then there was silence again.

Lee was left there, scared to even move a muscle, he shouldn’t have come, he—The door was opened suddenly, and the tall figure of his sensei was in front of him, his usual smile was nowhere to be seen, his eyes were…sad.

“Lee! Please come in, aren’t you supposed to be at the hospital?” His voice betrayed any emotion he could have from the conversation that had just taken place.

Lee felt his cheeks burn in shame; he shouldn’t have listened to a private conversation between the two sensei. He stumbled with the words to apologize and instead he presented the bad with the curry order inside and bended at the waist in apology.

“I am sorry Gai-Sensei, I shouldn’t have come, and I should not have heard, but I didn’t want to interrupt and you don’t need to leave Neji nor TenTen nor Kakashi-Sensei, you can recant from your promise, even if I die, because I will die knowing I was taught by the greatest teacher to ever exist, I am not afraid anymore, sensei”

Gai looks at him, his eyes are full of tears. “Lee, please come in. You shouldn’t be moving much” He takes the bag and grabs him by the shoulders with care, slowly guiding him towards the couch in the middle of the small living room. Lee can’t bear to look him in the eyes, but then he is offered a glass of water which he gratefully takes and downs it in one go, choking and coughing a bit when he is done. Gai, again grabs his shoulder to steady him and Lee looks up to meet his teacher’s eyes.

“It’s okay” Gai reassures him, taking the glass from his hand and placing it on the table next to the couch. “And you don’t have to apologize, Kakashi is not angry at you for getting the surgery, neither does he blame you for anything and I have no doubts that if it really came to it, he would look after Neji and TenTen, he is a very caring person, Lee”

“He is?” The question was made before Lee could even stop it and he quickly put a hand on his mouth. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—” But his sensei only laughed softly.

“He is. That is why he was upset, he…well, he has lost many people close to him and I have hurt him with my promise”

“I’m sorry”

“What? No apologizing! It’s not your fault Lee, I made that promise to you and I am not one to back down. Do you know why I did it?” And there was again, that determination in his eyes, the same one that Lee looked up to, that reminded him that he could be someone, that there was nothing hard work and faith couldn’t fix. “It was not because I planned to leave Kakashi, or TenTen or Neji, neither was it just to reassure you blindly, no. I made it because I want you to understand how much confidence I have in you and your body as well as in the skill and experience of Lady Tsunade” 

Gai moved from his spot and knelt before Lee, taking his hands in a reassuring way, his voice soft but direct like that of a father. “You will have that surgery and it might get nasty and maybe rehab will be difficult, but I have no doubt, Lee, that you will overcome it and you will go back to training as hard as you have always done, becoming one of the strongest shinobi to ever live”

Tears were already streaming down both their cheeks now and Lee sniffed before he asked, “You really think so, Gai-sensei?”

“Of course, I do” And getting up he said “Now, let’s get you to the hospital before Lady Tsunade decides to kill me”

Lee got up too, and walked slowly towards the door, Gai took his keys and walked him out and to the medical center.

It was as they walked that he remembered his plan all those months ago, the one where he promised himself, he would discover Kakashi’s true intentions towards his sensei.

“Gai sensei”

“Hmm”

“Do you love Kakashi sensei?”

Gai sensei had just smiled wide, before replying “With my whole life”.

When he woke up from surgery, he felt like he was wrapped around cotton, every light was too bright, and he was incredibly thirsty. He could hear the faint sound of a beeping machine and for a moment he panicked.

“It’s okay, Lee! Everything is okay” The cheery voice of Gai sensei sounded from somewhere around the cotton. He tried to reply and ask more but before he could, it was dark again.

When he woke up the second time, he felt way better. The cotton was gone although he felt thirsty still, he looked around looking for water and was met with a bright red straw and a glass.

“Small sips, you don’t want to hurry with this, believe me” Kakashi sensei was holding the glass, behind him Gai sensei was soundly sleeping sitting on a chair, the plastic object looked comically small with Gai’s body freely lying on top.

Lee did as he was told and took small sips, humming with content as the water touched his dry mouth.

“Listen Lee. I want to apologize to you; I know you heard that conversation” It came out of nowhere and it took a moment for Lee to even understand what Kakashi-sensei meant. He remembered suddenly and Kakashi must have taken his surprised eyes as cue to continue because he then said, “I was very upset at your sensei, you know, and while I am still a little bit angry at him, I should have clarified it was because I think those kinds of promises are stupid, not because he made that promise to you specifically, then again, you shouldn’t have been there eavesdropping”

Lee felt embarrassment built up in his gut but before he even thought about apologizing for accidentally eavesdropping, he asked him, eyes serious, back straight (alas in a lot of pain).

“Kakashi-sensei do you love Gai-sensei?”

Kakashi didn’t move, he didn’t even blink, the birds outside making more noise than his breathing. A beat, then another then…

“I do”

“Good” Lee said “Then I think we should talk”

“Of course” Kakashi answered. Neither of them moved, neither spoke, they just stared at each other’s eyes (well, eye in Kakashi’s case, although Lee often wondered if he opened the Sharingan just a bit underneath his headband once in a while because, oh come on! How had he known Lee and Naruto were hiding Dangos in their pocket that one time?!), before Lee nodded and then Kakashi and then they were interrupted by Gai sensei waking up and him and Lee crying for at least an hour before Kakashi was summoned by Tsunade-Sama for an important mission. 

They met after the sound ninja's attack but neither said anything. They ended up never talking directly about it, but Lee didn't think they needed to. After all, Lee finally understood what "Rivals" meant.

Years later, after the war is over, Lee carries Metal on his shoulders and smiles wide as he catches a glimpse of Kakashi and Gai. Kakashi wearing the Hokage hat and Gai using a wheelchair both laughing and holding hands, and it is when he watches Kakashi jump on Gai's lap, his sensei going as quick as he can down a street as a screaming Captain Yamato runs behind them yelling something about "responsibilities" and "It's not funny, senpai!" that he laughs fondly as he understands the "Eternal" part. 

"Lets go Metal, let's see if we can catch your grandpas!" Sitting over his shoulders, Metal just lets out a giggle and claps. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Know this: Kakashi knows those three are like Gai's kids and just like Kakashi would protect the heck out of his own three disaster children, he would give his life if it meant Gais kids are okay. 
> 
> Also: He smelled the Dango in their pockets. Kakashi has an incredibly good sense of smell, up there with the Inuzuka.

**Author's Note:**

> The original story belongs to Kishimoto. This work was NOT made for profit, only entertainment.


End file.
